Trauma 101

Updated April, 2018.

Hey Niki, you seem upset. Everything OK?

Oh hi, Steve. Um, well, no, not really.

What’s wrong? Can I help?

I don’t really think so but maybe you can help me figure out what to do. Three months ago my cousin was in a horrible car accident. Her best friend was killed and yet she walked away from the accident with hardly a scratch.

Wow, that’s horrible. Well, horrible that she lost her friend, but good that she’s okay.

Yeah, well, I don’t really think she’s okay. That’s why I’m so upset. Since the accident, she has these horrible nightmares and she just doesn’t seem like herself anymore. She barely snaps me and we used to snap all the time. When I do get a snap from her she’s at home. She hardly goes out anymore and she just looks so sad. I’m worried about her and don’t know what to do.

Well, she’s obviously been through a really traumatic event.

Traumatic? What does that mean?

It means a difficult event that is life changing. Lots of people experience trauma and many struggle to get through it. But there is help for people who have suffered a trauma.

 Really? Where? How?

Yeah really, let’s go have a coffee and talk about it.

Steve is correct that help is available for anyone who has experienced a traumatic event.

This post is designed to help you understand what trauma is in general while offering initial suggestions for managing trauma. You may also choose to read Trauma 201 which goes into more detail about childhood trauma versus adult trauma. Trauma 201 also offers additional ways to fully understand  trauma and  additional ways to overcome it.

Here you will learn:

What is trauma?

Mind and body reactions to trauma

Why is my reaction so different?

Don’t ignore trauma

What to do

Avoid potential trauma

Normal, but sometimes scary, responses to trauma

Tips to help manage trauma

Bonus YSS: Post traumatic stress disorder

Bonus YSS: Trauma and the self at school

(Information for this post was pulled from: https://is.muni.cz/el/1423/jaro2013/PSY403/um/Developmental_Trauma_Disorder_Kolk.pdf and  https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/coping-with-emotional-and-psychological-trauma.htm)

Post Question:

Have you ever had traumatic experience? Do you wish to share?

Answer the post question here

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What's being said

  • WLKHS1315
    Posted at 13:11h, 11 October Reply

    I haven’t had a traumatic experience, I think its mostly because all through out my childhood my parents have protect both my sister and I from anything that could hurt us and do anything to us.

  • wlhkhs 2107
    Posted at 15:25h, 01 March Reply

    In December 2017 I got hit by a car an for a while after had trouble crossing the street.